Chapter 828 "Reflections behind the adventure"

As night fell, the villagers sat quietly beside a makeshift bonfire, their faces filled with relief for having survived the disaster. The firelight reflected on their faces, sometimes flickering, sometimes silent, as if telling of the fear and anxiety they had been feeling for the past few days.

Zhang Meng bit the dry food in his hand with big mouthfuls, and kept shouting: "I told you, adventures are no big deal when you meet me, Zhang Meng! This time, I even dealt with the forest monster easily!"

"Don't give me that." Ye Li smiled helplessly, "You were almost swept away by the vines. It was only when we joined forces that we subdued the monster."

"Ah, that was just a small episode, a small episode." Zhang Meng waved his hand with an indifferent expression, "In the end, I still split the crystal with a knife, didn't I?"

"Without Qin Feng's guidance, you wouldn't even know where the core of the monster is." Li Xiao said coldly, interrupting Zhang Meng's boasting.

"Alright alright." Zhang Meng spread his hands as if admitting defeat. "I admit that we are a team. However, I still have to acknowledge my heroic performance."

"Yes, teamwork is the most important thing." Qin Feng smiled slightly, his eyes swept over his companions, "Each of us played an important role. Without you, I would never be able to complete this mission alone."

"Hey, I like this humble leadership style." Zhang Meng laughed, "But I still think that you can let me do some things first."

"Like what?" Chu Tian asked with a smile.

"For example, next time if there is another big monster, let me, Zhang Meng, go up and deal with it! The others just sit back and drink tea and watch the show." Zhang Meng patted his chest, looking ambitious.

Ye Li couldn't help laughing, "Are you really going to fight all the monsters alone? Don't forget, those monsters are not as simple as you think."

"No matter how strong the monster is, it has to ask me, Zhang Meng, for permission first!" Zhang Meng proudly waved the sword in his hand, as if he had already imagined the scene of himself fighting against countless monsters in his mind.

"Maybe the enemy next time will be stronger." Li Xiao said calmly, "You'd better not take it lightly."

"Oh, Li Xiao, you are really a master at ruining the atmosphere." Zhang Meng said helplessly, "Isn't it just to liven up the atmosphere?"

"But Zhang Meng is right about one thing." Qin Feng turned to look at the others, his expression slightly serious, "The next challenge is likely to be more difficult. We faced a maze and powerful monsters this time, but future enemies may be more cunning and their strength more unpredictable."

"Indeed." Ye Li nodded. "Although we successfully rescued the villagers, the shadow behind the entire incident has not completely dissipated."

"You mean, the power of that forest hasn't completely disappeared?" Zhang Meng asked in surprise, "No way? We have already destroyed the core of the monster!"

"The energy in the forest is complex." Qin Feng explained, "Although we destroyed the core of the maze, the power fluctuations in the entire area have not completely dissipated. This shows that there are deeper forces affecting everything."

"So, there will be more difficult enemies in the future?" Chu Tian frowned. "Where do these forces come from? Why do they suddenly appear in this area?"

"This is also a question I have been thinking about." Qin Feng said, "The power of the Soul Spring has produced a strong confrontation with these dark energies, which shows that there is some kind of connection between the two, and it may even be that a balance has been broken."

"This sounds like some bigger conspiracy." Zhang Meng scratched his head, "So we have to face bigger troubles?"

"The 'trouble' you mentioned is most likely an unavoidable battle." Li Xiao said coldly, and it was obvious that he was very clear about the future situation.

“Let’s fight!” Zhang Meng suddenly stood up, clenched his fists, and looked full of fighting spirit. “No matter what conspiracy or monster it is, I will not back down! It’s just a bigger challenge. This is not the first time we have encountered such a thing!”

"That's true." Ye Li said with a smile, "We have experienced many such adventures. Each time there are different enemies, but we can always find a way to break through."

"Our team has already proven its strength," Chu Tian said, his tone full of trust and confidence in his companions. "No matter what kind of enemy we encounter next, we will face it together."

The atmosphere around the campfire gradually became relaxed. Although the future was full of unknowns and dangers, everyone had a firm belief in their hearts - as long as they were together, there would be no difficulties that could not be overcome.

"So what should we do next?" Zhang Meng leaned against a tree, a hint of anticipation on his face, "Should we continue to look for those missing villagers? Or should we directly track down the mastermind?"

"Let these villagers return to their homes safely first." Qin Feng said, his tone still calm, "They have experienced too much fear and torture, they must first be allowed to return to normal life."

"That's right, let's rescue them first." Zhang Meng nodded, "But I have a feeling that after we send these villagers back, there will definitely be new tasks waiting for us."

"Your intuition is sometimes quite accurate." Ye Li said with a smile.

"That's because I, Zhang Meng, was born an adventurer." Zhang Meng said proudly, "The more complicated the task, the more comfortable I am with it!"

"I just hope that you can make fewer mistakes every time you do it with ease." Li Xiao responded coldly.

"Hey! Are you questioning my ability?" Zhang Meng pretended to be angry and said loudly on purpose.

"You know it in your heart." Li Xiao smiled slightly, but there was a hint of ridicule in that smile.

"In short, everyone should be prepared." Qin Feng stood up and looked into the distance, his eyes deep and firm, "The road we are on is destined not to be smooth, but we are used to facing challenges."

"Let more challenges come!" Zhang Meng said with full fighting spirit, "I am ready to face any enemy!"

"But before that," Ye Li smiled and looked at Zhang Meng, "you'd better make sure you don't get entangled by the vines again."

Zhang Meng laughed and patted Ye Li on the shoulder, "Don't worry! Next time I encounter vines, I will be the first to deal with them!"

As the bonfire gradually died down, the tranquility of the night enveloped them again. Although they had just experienced a difficult adventure, the team was clearly ready for greater challenges.

In this endless adventure, friendship and trust will continue to lead them forward, and every step in the future will be more determined.